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 Bishop Eddie Long has denied allegations that he sexually coerced male congregants.
December 2nd, 2011
09:29 AM ET
Bishop Eddie Long's wife files for divorceBy the CNN Wire Staff ATLANTA (CNN) -Vanessa Long, the wife of Georgia televangelist Bishop Eddie Long, is not withdrawing the divorce petition filed Thursday, despite a statement issued through her husband's church indicating that she had reconsidered, her lawyer said Friday. "Consistent with her original statement made this morning, Mrs. Long continues to hope that this matter may be resolved expeditiously, harmoniously and fairly; however, she has determined that dismissal of her divorce petition is not appropriate at this time," said Michael W. Tyler, a partner with the Atlanta-based firm, Kilpatrick Townsend.
"To avoid any undue confusion, Mrs. Long's future statements, if any, will be issued through her attorneys only. At this time, neither she nor we will have any further comment on this matter." The statement, sent Friday night, was the latest twist in a divorce saga that emerged Thursday, when lawyers for Vanessa Long filed divorce documents in Superior Court in DeKalb County, Georgia. Vanessa and Eddie Long are "living in a bona fide state of separation," according to the 12-page petition. The documents adds she "is entitled to a divorce upon grounds that the marriage between the parties is irretrievably broken, there being no hope of reconciliation of the parties, and it being in the best interest of all parties concerned that this marriage be terminated by divorce." On Friday, in a statement released to reporters by her lawyer, Vanessa Long said, "It is my sincere hope that this matter can be resolved expeditiously, harmoniously and fairly. I ask that you respect my privacy and that of my family, as my attorneys and I have agreed that we will not try this case in the media, and I do not intend to make any further statements concerning this matter." But this appears counter to another statement also attributed to Vanessa Long and issued Friday afternoon by New Birth Missionary Church in Lithonia, 18 miles east of Atlanta. According to that statement, she says, "Upon prayerful reflection, I have reconsidered and plan to withdraw my petition for divorce from my husband, Bishop Eddie L. Long. I love my husband." Bishop Long is senior pastor of the church, which has more than 25,000 members, according to its website. "I believe in him and admire his strength, and courage," Vanessa Long said, according to this statement. "My filing followed years of attacks in the media that frustrated and overwhelmed me. "I love my family and church family, New Birth Missionary Baptist Church. Therefore, my husband and I have mutually agreed to find healing from these attacks. We ask that you respect our privacy during this time." New Birth's website describes Vanessa Long as "the quiet strength" in the family. "She is an inspiration to many of the women at New Birth as they watch her lovingly and quietly support her husband in every sense of the word." Long is being sued by former parishioners who accuse him of persuading them to invest in a Ponzi scheme that wiped out at least $1 million in their retirement savings. And last spring, Bishop Long settled a lawsuit filed by four young men who accused him of pressuring them into sexual relationships while they were teenagers and members of Long's congregation at the same north Georgia church. That suit alleged that Long "uses monetary funds from the accounts of New Birth and other corporate and non-profit corporate accounts to entice the young men with cars, clothes, jewelry, and electronics." Long has preached passionately against homosexuality for years. In an August interview, two of Long's accusers said they were haunted by what happened between them and the powerful pastor and added they are writing a tell-all book about their experiences. "It's just not enough anymore. I thought I could cover the pain up. I thought I could move, start over and everything will go away. I was terribly wrong," Jamal Parris, one of the accusers, told CNN affiliate WSB. Parris pointed to a "JL" tattoo on his arm, which he said stands for "Jamal Long." He said Long was with him when he got the tattoo. He said that he grew up without a father and that Long preyed on that vulnerability. "To have a man love me for just who I was. I just had to be me and love him back," Parris said. –CNN's Mia Aquino contributed to this story in Atlanta.
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Three dollar bill.....most of them are ego maniacs anyway. Not a surprise.
Hopefully, she first tossed out his stoopid Star Trek and leatherman/bondage outfits.
Sad. She knew she was married to a freak long before now. I guess as long as the money was coming in, she didn't care. Why do fools still give money to this clown and his so-called church?
like. that's many (not all) black churches for ya!
Me NOT love you Long TIme-
Hypocrisy has no color. This stuff goes on in every church no matter the predominant race.
@Mr. McPheebee, kindly note FAITH can Enslave you and that's what these lost souls in his Church don't know. The last time I checked, a bunch of white dudes used The Bible or Christianity to enslave my forefathers for 450 yrs. As people we're still wheeling from this bondage as painful as it is.
Me NOT love you Long TIme
forget Jimmy Swaggart, Jim Baker and Ted Haggard??? Idiot! It's in all churches not just Black.
TO Che: What 450 years? The country is a bit over 200 years old and slavery here lasted about 100 years. Elsewhere, slavery lasted a long time in lots of places and not all slaves were non-white.
This guy is a creep and that has nothing to do with race.
Che & Bazoing
The first slaves were brought from Africa by the Dutch in 1619.
The Emancipation Proclamation was signed in 1863.
Poor Eddie Loser.
Hopefully she doesn't come out and say she's been having an affair with Herman Cain!!!!! He's from Atlanta, she's from Atlanta, he's a bishop, she's married to a bishop...... Anything's possible. 9-9-9!!!!
ROTFL! That would be hilarious!
LOL
Cain seems to be into the white meat.
I P00P myself sometimes, I feel for Eddie.
You made me laugh. Thanks. Probably the only funny thing about this. People who abuse kids make me have to restrain myself from getting out my carving knives for something other than wood. I wish I could ethically rationalize carving Long's wood.
Just let your Soul-Glo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
lol
A jheri curl hair piece?
Ha! Thats what it looks like. He is disgusting and pathetic in every way. He should be in jail.
Proverbs 16:18
Amplified Bible (AMP)
Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.
Seriously...what took her so long. Herman Cain's wife...."take note"
Off with his head!! Guess which one?
Another hypocrite hiding behind the pulpit.
Hypocrites abound – whether it's behind a pulpit or behind a keyboard. Let me know when you find the "perfect" person. Won't hold my breath.
Oh wow... another one of those "I didn't see that coming" moments. LOL, naw just kidding. He is now free to explore openly his love for fellow men.
Maybe she got tired of looking at that black puppy he's wearing on his head.
"Just let your soul glow!"...
We should all be praying for the Eddie Long family. We all have problems and storms that we go through. We are no better then they are. We should be praying that the lord will heal their marriage.
We did and so they move on. He committed adultery and she is not responsible for any of that according to the good book. SHe is allowed to proceed with the divorce. Pray for her strength in the lord. That's the reality.
I sure the Hell hope I am better than Eddie Long is. He is a disgusting piece of excrement. Please do not compare me to Eddie again or I'm going to have anal relations with your husband.
This is not adultery Damion, this is a pervert preying upon children. This marriage is Mr Long's walk in closet. The foundation of this union was based upon deception. There is nothing to save. His s3xual preferences will not change. If you do not believe me... Look up the Mayo Clinic site on child s3xual abuse. The preference NEVER goes away, the best that can be achieved is the person will restrain himself from acting upon his desire for children.
I'd say that one's spouse keeping a harem of teenaged boys is suitable grounds for divorce.
In my Christian denomination the marriage would be proclaimed null & void, due to the deception involved. By concealing his s3xual preference, & leading a double life, he gave false vows by deception. A family member discovered her spouse was leading a double life with a gay partner, when that partner became HIV positive. Her marriage was annulled, as having been entered into under false pretenses. Children of such unions are held by the church to be legitimate, because the mother entered into HER marriage vows in good faith. The church restored her ability to marry again, without making her children illegitimate. Nasty of him, using her as a walk in closet. Fortunately, she did not contract HIV.
Does she get the Bentley?
Was it a Bentley or a Chrysler 300?...LOL.
i hear a sucking sound as this freaks life goes down the toilet.
That's not where the sucking sounds is coming from...
Sounds like this guy was hustling the wrong folks. Greasy black hustler.
Are you black?
HAAAA-ha!
Its a shame she didn't shoot him.
He is a child molestor.
LOL
Black women are not known for that. The burden and responsibility lies with the victims.
perhaps Eddie is not as long as his name suggests. I believe that is grounds for a divorce, the wife went into to the marriage under false pretenses...lol even the article is short! 🙂
What a stupid comment.
hey josh, its better then your comment. ;~)
Hey hippy,
You're an idiot.
Sincerely,
Josh
yeah! thats what i mean... it has a tad bit more substance but it is still lacking. mine is better still and most likely will be FOREVER!!!! 🙂 MUHAHAHAHAHAHA, you su.ck!